You can also email your letters to:  callsignmag@aol.com

Mo Abed Alaziz replies to Stanley Frankel
Soon after I was interviewed by Call Sign who were interested in my views after the atrocity of 7 July 2005, I am sorry to say that I became a little busy. A terrible incident happened to my son when he was attacked by a large group of boys in secondary school. Starting with the question from the instigator: "Where does your dad come from? Is he Indian?" Then another called him an ‘effing Paki’. They beat him to the floor and punched him in the stomach, winding him and necessitating a trip to the school nurse.
   Then I had a phone call from a friend telling me that I had upset a lot of people (as a joke) referring to Stanley Frankel’s response to the Call Sign article. I must stress to your ‘biggest fan’ that he must have misread the article. Firstly, his sarcasm regarding my comments of the everyday life of the Muslim were infantile and unnecessary. Again, I am making a point about the media’s interpretation of the Muslim. Yes Stan, your everyday life is portrayed everywhere as it is your everyday life. My religion is seen more frequently as being "Muslims who bomb people." I think your comments are unfair…
   On to the next point you felt necessary to make about a language that is my first spoken one. Call Sign’s ‘biggest fan’ is trying to educate the people about the word Madrassah. It is the only word an Egyptian knows and will ever have known for the word school. Just like here, it teaches religion - one of which is Christianity because not every Egyptian is a Muslim. There is a population of Coptic Christians there too. Surprisingly enough, the same type of place where my children go, your children probably went - to learn! I would like to challenge anyone who can find Stan’s interpretation in a dictionary. Take your "dictionary" back to the Royal Oak for a full refund!
   But let us not argue about this. I have A level equivalent in English as well as other subjects - one of them being Psychology. When your ‘biggest fan’ stated he is not being prejudiced, we all knew what his next statement would be and it was likely to be racist. And the fact that he felt compelled to let us know that he hates everyone, well, I rest my case!
   I am not going into a political or religious debate here, my views are very clear. Your ‘biggest fan’ Stan, seems to have detailed knowledge of what is going on with terrorists in Pakistan or otherwise. Perhaps he should join MI5! Since he is in possession of so many facts, he could be the answer to all our prayers. We could use his insight to defeat terrorism!
Before I finish this letter, just one more thing. I want to whisper in his ear - as he mentioned the ‘mummy’ joke. Ancient Egyptians (the basis of civilisation) were the FIRST people who knew how to read and write.
Mo Abed Alaziz (N09)
I hope your son has recovered from the attack, Mo. I noticed from your letter that the attack came from "a large group" and it does seem to follow that these type of people can only display their venom when in company with others. My comments at the end of Stanley Frankel’s letter agreed with yours over the use of the word Madrassah and like you, I could find no reference to it in my dictionaries (I use Collins and the Oxford). I had to go on-line to see what he was talking about…Ed

Counter£it Cabby
I do believe the moon was shining on me the other evening when I visited Brunswick House, as is my usual custom each night to use the facilities. On the way in, I bumped into Alan Fisher and as my senior moment had dissipated, I remembered that I wanted to ask him if he had any of the gadgets left that detect forged banknotes. Quick as a flash, he went to his little box of tricks and like David Nixon (whoops, age showing there) he produced a ‘Counter£it Cabby’ detector. I was surprised at just how small and compact it was. Alan then insisted he should demonstrate to me how it worked. After producing his wallet and dealing with the swarm of moths that had just tasted freedom, he proceeded with a £5 note closely followed by a ten and then twenty pound note - he must have had a good day and there was no stopping him by then! He followed on with an abundance of store cards and credit cards. A real man about town!
   Joking apart, I was very impressed with its size and how quick as a flash you can detect if you've been given a ‘wrong-un’ – whether banknote or credit card. A definite ‘must-have’ for every cabbie. Thank-you Alan for my free gift and demonstration, I am now a Counter£it Cabby convert! Look after your pounds and do yourself a favour, get a Counter£it Cabby… and of course, be lucky.
Colin Frazer (R08)
Pleased I could help, Colin, but I’d hate to be on the wrong side of your pen if you were throwing insults …Ed

Credit card receipts
I have read a few reminders in Call Sign advising us that we must keep credit card receipts for 6 months in case they are queried and warning that no receipt could mean us losing payment for that particular job. I've also noticed, however, that by accident or design the paper the receipts are printed on degrades in a matter of days. Today is 22nd September and I am
looking at a receipt from 30th August, which is totally illegible.
a) Is the paper deliberately designed to do this and if so, why?
b) If not, can we change the paper used?
The Editor tells me that the paper is sensitive to heat; if this is the case can we not use any other paper? If not, how should the kept receipts be stored?
   Also on a related subject, I hate getting credit card jobs where the £2 booking charge applies. Coming on top of the 12.5% handling charge, I think it's a bit of a liberty. Is it possible to just charge one or the other? It feels like we're trying to actively discourage these types of booking with those current add-ons.
Mark Sherlock (W41)
Allan Evans responds: Mark, as you can appreciate it is in your own interest to keep the signed receipts for this length of time to safeguard your payments and as proof that you have swiped the actual card through your terminal. The paper is heat sensitive, so I would recommend that you keep the receipts in an envelope in a fairly cool place away from any warm areas and it will then not be a problem. As soon as we exhaust our supply of receipt rolls, I am sure there will be suppliers of a more heat resistant paper that could rectify this problem for the future.
   The £2 charge is part of the one-number booking system that all six circuits who participate in the scheme charge, whereas the handling fee is separate and used to offset the processing costs and administration fees that Dial-a-Cab incur and it remains the same across the board for all circuits. Were it not to be charged, it would then be cheaper to use a credit card than open an account! As it now stands, passengers have over 7000 taxis at their disposal, which I am sure you agree now gives them a much wider range of service.

Subscription increase
Regarding the increase of subscriptions; as you know drivers always moan whenever subs go up, so may I offer the Chairman some advice - don’t wait for almost three years to put up subs. As soon as the fares go up each year, put subs up by the rate of inflation or perhaps just a pound or two. But doing it yearly will take away the sting of a larger increase.
   I also think that you should inform those drivers who perhaps do not realise that we DaC drivers have saved up to £175 because we do not need a receipt printer. That is an excellent saving.
Sid Nathan (K88)
Brian Rice replies: You are quite right Sid; I did have some negotiations with the PCO in order for them to accept our printers rather than those attached to the meter. However, it did involve some software changes which we were more than happy to do for the benefit of our members, something that I had actually forgotten about - thanks for reminding me!  Regarding subscriptions, I have noted your comments. You certainly know how to make yourself popular – the difference is that you always say what you believe and not what appeals to the majority - well done!

Nobu’s minicabs?
Regarding the article in the October Call Sign from Sgt David Hillson at the Cab Enforcement Section, I’d like to tell you about the activities of a group of licensed minicabs I saw while waiting for an account job outside Nobu Berkeley in Berkeley Street on 14 September 2005 between 22.25 and 23.30. It does seem that the establishment in question is in cahoots with these drivers even though their activities are wholly illegal.
   These minicabs, and there are more than I have listed, form an illegal rank outside the restaurant, then the drivers stand outside the entrance to the restaurant and as people emerge, they are asked if they require a taxi. This, in my ever so humble opinion, is touting and breaches the terms with which these parasites are issued with a licence. As one car moves off, the others move up and another car joins the back. While these drivers were trying to do this, I parked in front of the restaurant and was promptly told by the Concierge that I was causing an obstruction! When I asked him to elaborate on this, he refused and I told him to call the police if he felt that strongly. Surprise, surprise, he refused to do this. I was then subjected, along with another Dial-a-Cab driver who was also waiting, to snide comments from these touts who obviously think they have carte blanche to do as they please, now that they hold a licence.
   I enclose three of the registration details of cars involved and I hope these miscreants will be dealt with in the strongest way possible to stop them acting in this manner again.
John Fisher (C45)
Alan Matthews, Head of Projects and Developments at the PCO responds:
   John, your e-mail has been passed to me for action and response as I have responsibility here at the PCO for private hire vehicle licensing matters. As with any complaint of this nature, I will be writing to the owners of the vehicles concerned and asking them to respond to the allegations set out in your e-mail. Once I have the views of the drivers concerned, the PCO will consider what action, if appropriate, is necessary. I am sure you will understand that as a first step, it is vital that the drivers of the vehicles in question are informed of the complaint and given the opportunity to respond. I am most grateful to you for bringing these matters to our attention and you can rest assured that we treat all allegations of illegal touting most seriously. 
   And Sgt Dave Hillson of the Cab Enforcement section of TOCU also responds:
   The alleged illegal goings on outside the Nobu restaurant will be looked into at the earliest opportunity. I can assure your writer that appropriate action will be taken if any regulations are breached.

Happy birthday to the Ed
Over the hill? What, our Al? Never! Keep up the good work and many more happy birthdays to come.
Bob "the dog" Heath (Ex-F44)
To all those who sent me birthday greetings for my sixtieth, my sincere thanks …Ed

Our own Cabvision?
Well-done, Mr Fisher, for keeping unsuitable adverts out of our magazine, a happy birthday for 9 October and keep up the good work.
   A suggestion for DaC: Why don't we develop our own Cabvision equipment (Oct Call Sign) and link it in with our clients for the adverts? And a suggestion for Call Sign: There appears to be a number of different SatNav systems being used by taxi drivers. Could we have some reviews from working drivers as to how good they are?
Peter Straiton (F31)
If you are using a SatNav system and would like to tell everyone about it, now’s your chance …Ed
   And Brian Rice responds: We could do that and link it into your terminal via the PC, however, if you wanted it to be 'real time' then we would have to download information via our network, which of course would add increased pressure on our radio infrastructure. Consequently, we feel at the moment it is better to 'dip our toe in the water' and use Cabvision.

Stacking shelves?
Dear Brian, your response to my letter is noted. It is so nice to read that I'm not alone in advocating a hands-on approach to management. Are you aware that Tesco have a policy whereby ALL of their directors work a week in a store stacking shelves every year? It's called grounding and ensures that management remember where they came from…
David Kupler (Y74)
Brian Rice replies: Just one week a year? Sounds like a token gesture to me. Just going through the motions, more of a PR exercise for staff than anything else!

Mark’s Confusion…
I’m confused! Brian Rice, in his Chairman’s Report (Oct Call Sign), praises Richard Potter (T51) for giving credit to the management of the Society, yet tells David Kupler (Y74) that the Board "…should attend Board meetings only and drive his/her cab on a full time basis because it is helpful when the director of a company knows where the factory is!" Why does he want full time professionals instead of the current Board?
 

Penalised for Driving a Fairway…?
I recently stopped on the Westminster Abbey rank as I was fed up running around even though I was number 1 in SW1E for almost 25 minutes. Another DaC driver – who was number 7 in the same zone - then pulled alongside me and we began chatting. Suddenly he was offered a job that wasn’t offered to me. I asked why that could be and he said that I would be surprised at how many accounts ask for TX1 or II cabs and the amount of work I was losing by having a Fairway – even though in my opinion, my cab is far better than many of the TX cabs. I would like Call Sign to find out for me if there are indeed a number of accounts that are requesting TX cabs only and what percentage this represents? If it were the case that the number was substantial, then it would only be fair if that same percentage number was deducted from my subscriptions. I’ve had nothing from the Board that has said my driving a Fairway is penalising me. My only contact was a call asking why I had no logos on one particular day – for which I had a genuine reason. My Fairway situation, if correct, could even affect the 40 jobs a month rule.
Jack Suett (L54)
Evening Shift Operations Manager, Gary Gates responds: Jack, its not the account that requests a TX1 or TXII, but the individual customer. He or she maybe a wheelchair user and may need the platform ramp to access the taxi for which the Fairway cannot provide. I can assure you that whatever the case maybe, it’s very minimal - just like when a customer requests a 6-seater cab, the trip will not be offered to you or the driver who has a brand new top-of-the-range TXII. I know driving a cab can be frustrating at times, but we are in the customer service world and it is their prerogative…

Chips (and pin) with everything?
Can I ask Call Sign to find out what is going to happen to our credit card facility when it becomes chip and pin only for cards from next February?
Martin Freeborn (C67)
Company Financial Accountant Warren Smith responds: The answer is that there will be no change. Because our equipment is not C&P compliant, we will still be able to swipe the card as per normal and just obtain a signature. So long as you carry out the correct credit card procedure, of which I have written several articles about but many drivers still apparently ignore, then you will still get paid as normal. Any driver who takes a card and then if some time later the transaction turns out to be fraudulent, will still be paid by DaC – but only so long as he/she fulfils the criteria of swiping the card, obtaining a signature and then keeping the receipt so that we can check all the details. Anyone not adhering to the procedure must understand that they may not get paid regardless of whether the transaction is fraudulent or not.
I should add that the cost to DaC of fraudulent transactions compared to re-equipping the fleet with a chip and pin facility is tiny. However, the new generation of terminals will have a C&P facility.
For reference, please keep all your credit card receipts in a cool dark place to prevent them from fading.

Concierge (again)…
In last month’s Call Sign, the Chairman stated that Concierge has now been put into our largest account. As we were the sole provider for this account, could you please explain the benefits to the members of the Society, of three car companies using our call centre?
Grant Davis (L39)
Come on Grant, there must come a time when you understand what Concierge is and does. I can’t keep asking Brian Rice to answer the same question! He said in last month’s Chairman’s report that the account in question were going to use us exclusively for the taxi side, but were also using three car companies while adding that they are already using three anyway! Yes, we are using our Call Centre, but like it or not the chances are that had we said no to them using Concierge, we could well have lost the tender because the other licensed taxi companies put everything into trying to wrest it from us – and why wouldn’t they? I’d be interested in your view on whether that was a risk worth taking? …Ed

TfL’s no to taxi access
I have enclosed a reply I received from TfL to a letter I sent objecting to the new bus access to Byward Street - Great Tower Street without allowing taxis to also use this access point. Buses now have 2 access points to this area whilst taxis have none. I was hoping also that our representatives would  object to this vital part of the city being barred to London taxis.
Adrian Landau (Tango 14) 
Thank for you for your letter dated 19 September 2005. The GLA order that you refer to will allow buses only to enter Great Tower Street via a new right turn facility located in Byward Street. The right turn forms a new entry point into the City of London Police Traffic & Environmental Zone. The facility for buses to enter Great Tower Street at this location has been agreed with the City Police on condition that buses are the only type of vehicle permitted to make this manoeuvre. 
   I am aware that taxis are also not permitted to use Arthur Street to enter the City of London at present and this makes it very difficult to access the City from the Embankment route. I understand that discussions are continuing via the Public Carriage Office into this matter and I await their advice. In the meantime, I am unable to alter the arrangements in place as these restrictions are stipulated by the City Police and are outside the control of Transport for London.
Steve Decker
Senior Engineer, TfL Street Management

New terminals
I think the Dave Raymond (F56) suggestion of SatNav within the terminal is a good one; but why stop there? Let us incorporate an updated  A-Z, an extra home page for  in-house news featuring up-coming marshalled events, cabs for sale, cabs needed and cabs for rent, lost and found - the possibilities are endless.
   We could feature a joke of the day and driver’s birthdays etc! While we’re at it, lets have a signal matrix that really reflects the high tech profile of Dial-a-Cab and not the second rate scenario we have now!
David Kupler (Y74)
It’s no secret that a new generation of terminals are now on the drawing board. I’ve heard unofficially of what it is hoped they will contain – and believe me, if they are as described, they will be the most amazing in-vehicle terminals in the world! As nothing can be certain at this stage, I can’t really talk about them, but I must be honest, David, and say that there was no mention of a joke section! And of course, anything that would have helped you remember my birthday would be useful! …Ed

Just wondering if you can help me. About 2/3 months ago there was an article in the mag re two DaC cyclists who did the London to Brighton run. I would like to contact them to see if they have any more rides planned, as I am a cycling enthusiast as well. My telephone number is 07976 444313. A great magazine and a great circuit. Thanks very much…
Dick Francis (T15)
The two were Eugene Portanier (T45) and George Opoku (S70). Perhaps one of them can call you. But, Dick, why don’t you just go on the train! …Ed

Forty jobs – complaint about the complaint…
I received a letter this morning from the Complaints Officer informing me that in the month of September I had only completed 34 jobs. If the computer can count how many jobs I have done, surely it can count how many days I was not working? In fact I was on holiday for 8 days. Will I now have to inform the office when I take time off or have a weekend away? I have been a member of ODRTS for over 36 years and I have never been sent such an insulting letter from the Society as one informing me that I have been placed on the Complaints register. I understand from the telephone operator at the office that there have been hundreds of calls on this subject - two of them mine, but no reply as of this evening. I am sure you will be getting many more communications on this subject and would hope - indeed expect - an apology to be issued very promptly. 
Ray Sorene (A53)
Brian Rice responds: Ray, during the month of September there were 571 drivers who did not complete 40 trips. Consequently, it was far easier to send the letters out and wait
for the queries / holidays /overhauls than to check all the loggers for 571 drivers. If you are offended, then we are indeed sorry, but drivers who do not complete the required amount are not being fair with the remainder of our members, as your entire client database is being put at risk! I also note from your letter that you completed 34 trips, however, the Society does need to make a return on every mobile otherwise we would cease to trade in a very short period of time and as you return £1 per month to the Society due to your reduced subscriptions and in recognition of your service, I
would have thought that you would have understood the situation better than
most! Tom Whitbread sent the letter out as a warning, but of course if a member has a valid reason for not completing the forty trips, then the warning is null and void. After all, we have completed this exercise with all the extra work and complaints involved, purely and simply to protect our members interests by endeavouring to protect their client database.

Taxi Book
I'm a cabbie in Portsmouth and I’m currently compiling a book containing drivers stories - funny, sad, scary etc - after all, we all have them. I've got a lot, but want to open it up across the world, can you help? If anyone at Dial-a-Cab has any tales, then please email me at cabstories@aol.com. All stories used will be credited with name, location and any other info that the sender wants added.
Bob Beech 
Portsmouth

Old Trips
Non-rejectable accounts and EC5 rules are one thing, but to make a TaxiCard ride non- rejectable because it’s 2 hours old is another and something I find unacceptable. I would also like to vent my annoyance at what I believe was the false information given by the Call Centre. By this, I mean them sending a "the customer will wait" message when I believe no contact was even made.
   On 9 October at 18.03, I received a non-rejectable TaxiCard ride from the U.C.H (Euston rd) whilst at St Pancras, with an E.T of 16.07. At 18.04 I sent a delay of 10 minutes, almost within seconds I received the message: Customer will wait. At 18.12 I arrived and was asked to M.O.C. After 5 minutes of asking round the reception, the staff there said they thought he had gone. I relayed this message on data and at 18.19 was scrubbed with £6.20 on the meter.
   My complaint is that I don’t appreciate having my hand forced by DaC especially if ordinarily I would have the right to reject. I was in one part of NW1E and forced to another part and to leave an area where there were dozens of people screaming for a cabs, all for a 2-hour old job.
   

Ubiee Powerpill
I’ve just read about the Ubiee Powerpill in the October Call Sign. I have never trusted claims of other so-called miracle fuel additives or gadgets. I even took part in a Call Sign test you organised some years ago without any success, but this latest test sounds more like it. Is the Powerpill available to buy anywhere yet?
Kevin Went (N19)
For more information on the Ubiee Powerpill, go to www.powerpilluk.com or call 0845-0955514. There is also an update elsewhere in this issue …Ed

Encouraging our kids to become taxi drivers?
I found it to be rather strange when Richard Potter (T51) asked in his article "Should I encourage my children to become London Taxi drivers" (Oct Call Sign). I assume that RP is around 40 years of age and his children are still at school? If that is the case, shouldn’t he be concentrating on their education rather than future employment? How about encouraging them to take their GCSEs and A levels after that. Then, if they are brainy, what’s wrong with a University education? Otherwise, what are they going to do after leaving school at 16 - wait around for 4 years before getting on their mopeds? If RP wants to know why fewer young people are coming into the trade, I can tell him; it’s because riding around on their mopeds for 4 years isn’t a very attractive proposition. It has always amazed me to think how long it takes to do the KoL considering the time it took to do it not that many years ago.
   I can assure RP that even though he may not be very happy with his lot as a cabbie, many of us are, otherwise we wouldn’t be doing it. We like the freedom it gives us, knowing that we can work the hours we choose - or in some cases the hours our wives choose (24 hours)! RP writes about unsociable hours; if that is the case, why doesn’t he work days? He also wants to know whether he should work longer hours to buy a bigger house or flat? Do us all a favour Richard, and discuss it with your wife, or better still your accountant. Because to be honest, we all have our own problems. Try to be happy with what you have got and remember that two can live as cheaply as one if one doesn’t eat! It’s very easy to work harder and just as easy to get oneself into debt trying to keep up with the Jones’s; so if your neighbours are called Smith, then you’re doing fine!
   Alan, as Editor, you state there are Madrassahs all around the world and that not all Muslims are terrorists, but it is a fact that many of them in Pakistan and some in this country are preaching hatred aimed at the western world. You also state that Mohammed Abed Alaziz (N09) was very brave to go into print, but why? This is a free country and we are allowed to express our opinions either verbally or in print.
   You are wrong to compare the IRA with Muslim terrorists because whereas the former are political, the latter are religious. The IRA was not trying to change us into Catholics, but was simply fighting for a united Ireland whereas the Muslim terrorists would like us all to live under Sharia law. Meanwhile they are prepared to kill anyone who doesn’t agree with them.
Stanley Frankel (K46)
Stanley, Call Sign is a magazine. You know what that is, don’t you? It’s where people write articles for others to read and possibly discuss afterwards. Richard was being hypothetical in asking whether this trade has a future. He wasn’t really talking about his own personal life or asking for your assistance, and as the article consisted mainly of generalisations that many perceive as the Licensed Taxi trade, I assumed that he was just asking whether this trade has a future and whether it is worth young people going into it. It made an interesting article, it wasn’t designed as a begging letter.
   As for the Mo Abed Alaziz letter; many followers of Islam probably are extremists, but it has been estimated that 1.2 billion Muslims around the world pray towards Mecca five times a day. How many of those would you say are extremists?
   As for the IRA terrorists that planted bombs in Harrods, Hyde Park, Aldershot, Guildford, Birmingham or perhaps you remember in 1987, Stanley, when the IRA bombed the Enniskillen Remembrance Day service? Or what about the Baltic Exchange bombing? I remember that one because I was just around the corner when it blew. And that, Stanley, was all to do with a United Ireland was it? No terrorism there, then?
   And as for Mo, my "brave" comment was not aimed at him being personally afraid, but at putting himself above the parapet to be shot down by you. He is a Muslim on a radio circuit that has but a handful and I thought it would be interesting to read his views – just as Richard Potter wrote his. As I wrote earlier, Stanley, that’s what magazines do.
   And as a personal note Stanley; if you intend writing such long letters (this one had almost four hand-written pages), then buy yourself a PC and either email the letter or type it out and I can scan it. It took me longer to do your letter than all the rest together – including the hand-written ones because no one hand-writes four pages! In addition, I rarely edit anything out of driver’s letters, but I have made an exception in your case and edited out your jokes. Firstly, we’ve heard them all, secondly, they detract from the serious nature of the letter and thirdly – does it look as though the Mailshot pages have room for jokes! …Ed

LTI Coventry suggestion
I was one of the lucky group of 8 Call Sign drivers that visited and toured the LTI Vehicles factory in Coventry and which included a very interesting Q&A session. As we were the third group from Call Sign to participate in the LTI Listening Program, I assume that more will go in the future. If so, it might be a good idea if drivers send you their questions in advance so that whoever goes, will have a supply of genuine questions to ask. What do you think?
Stewart Lewis (D20)
Good idea Stewart. Call Sign will probably send another group of drivers to the LTI factory early in the New Year. If anyone has a sensible question about the TXII now or perhaps future models, send it to Call Sign and we’ll make sure that it gets asked …Ed

FSA Investigation
As someone who was intimately involved with the FSA investigation, I was intrigued by the Chairman’s curious statement in last month’s Call Sign (FSA Investigation). The Chairman rightly states that he informed the membership that the FSA had carried out a 10-week investigation in April. He then claims that since then he has been asked by the FSA to clarify, (and here I summarise), that the investigation was about whether the Society was being conducted as a bona fide co-operative society in the interests of the members and had nothing to do with " … the honesty, integrity or professionalism of the Society".
   If all this strikes you as a play on words and a false distinction, then you are right. After all, if you are investigating whether an organisation is being properly run, then you are inevitably considering its professionalism: you cannot have one without the other. I also have serious doubts as to whether the FSA ever asked for this distinction to be made.
   However, any doubts can be easily resolved. Firstly, can the Chairman explain what were the circumstances that led the FSA to return to DaC following the end of the investigation? Secondly, to produce the documentary evidence that the FSA had ever made the specific distinction he mentions.
   As the Chairman has raised the matter of the investigation, there is a neglected issue that needs to be addressed. It has been suggested at various times that a futile and costly investigation by the FSA was instigated by devious and disloyal members with highly questionable motives. The FSA did not share this view. Not only did they exonerate us for our actions, they also returned our £1000 deposit. Let me quote from a letter I received from the FSA in March of this year, which states: "… the FSA’s view is that the members’ concerns were legitimately raised," and that "…it was appropriate for the members to bring them to our attention." As a consequence, the FSA decided that: "We do not propose to charge members for the cost of the investigation and the cheque for £1000, provided as a deposit against the costs of the investigation, is therefore returned attached to this letter."
   Does anyone seriously think the FSA, of all people, would have returned our bond if we had just wasted their time on a pointless 10 week investigation? Perhaps some members will now be asking themselves whether the Board of Management have been totally open about what has taken place. They may also be asking what was the real point of the Chairman’s last and very curious statement.
Tony Gillam (N14)
Brian Rice responds: Tony you have never listened to me before and I don’t suppose that you will start now. I am not going to enter into some endless debate with you. The statement in my last Chairman’s report was included as a result of a request by the FSA. Its terms were specifically agreed with the FSA. If you don’t believe me go and ask the FSA yourself.
   As I said in my last report, I am now looking forward to the future of the Society and working with members on the development of our business for the benefit of all members. This is something that I care passionately about. If you care about the Society to the extent that you imply, perhaps you could tell us how many credit rides you have completed in the last six months?

New management structure?
As many of you are aware, the past 18 months has seen some very public disagreements between the Chairman and myself over the future of DaC. But I believe these arguments should not prevent me from wholeheartedly supporting him in his desire to reform the management structure of the Society as he outlined in the October edition of Call Sign (Mailshot: Kupkake's Kanapes).
   The Chairman is right in asserting that both he and the Board would better serve the membership by abandoning their offices and driving cabs full-time. The proper role for the Board is the formation of policy, not day-to-day administration. We would benefit considerably from an experienced and professional management team headed by a Chief Executive answerable to the Board. We would also have a Board fully in tune with the experiences of the membership.
   We could expect, for example, that the professional management would ensure that requests for information are properly answered and do not result in ten week investigations by the FSA. Equally, it is unlikely that experienced managers would have agreed to the folly of implementing a system such as Concierge, which uses member’s money to take away work from them. While there is probably little prospect of the Chairman and myself agreeing on the benefits of his proposed new structure, it is significant that we agree, at least, on what should be done.
   If the Chairman feels he lacks support among the vested interests of his fellow Board members, then I am more than willing to second his proposals for change at the forthcoming AGM. I can see no reason why Brian's vision should not quickly become a reality.
Darryl Cox (T33)
Brian Rice responds: Darryl, the FSA investigation is over. The result of that investigation was clearly set out in my last Chairman’s report. If you don’t like it, talk to the FSA. As I said in my report, I am now focusing on working with members on the development of our business for the benefit of all members. Yes … that includes Concierge. I believe that this is a great system and is the envy of our competitors. Its benefits are numerous. It has helped us to win work from our competitors and retain the work of existing clients, it has earned the Society £1m of extra revenue and most importantly of all, it has enabled us to put more jobs in the back of the cabs of those of our drivers that support the Society by doing account work. On the ONE account that has been using Concierge, we have increased the number of credit rides in the cabs of our members by over 33,000 from 8000 (approx) to almost 42,000.
   As for restructuring the Board, it is for the members to say what sort of management structure they wish to adopt. If I were to propose anything myself, then there would be some members that would accuse me of having some ulterior motive.

November 2005 Call Sign Home Page

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